mg.greeneyes-第22节

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　　Cleve's　private　investigations　in　disguise　need　not　be　mentioned。
　　〃Back　to　San　Francisco；〃　said　Cleve；　with　a　smile。　〃This　time…I　am　pleased　to　say…it　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　Wu…Fan。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Darley。　〃You　pleted　your　report　on　that　subject？〃
　　〃I　did；〃　said　Cleve；　〃and　now　I　am　virtually　on　leave　for　the　next　few　weeks。　I　have　to　report　at　San　Diego；　later。　So；　with　nothing　to　do；　I　remembered　your　invitation　to　join　you　on　the　yacht　cruise　to　Los　Angeles。〃
　　〃Grand！〃　exclaimed　Darley；　with　enthusiasm。　〃Leo　Frane　is　due　here　at　the　end　of　the　week。　Keep　in　touch　with　me。　We　would　like　to　have　you　sail　along　with　us。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Cleve。　〃I　just　dropped　in　to　say　'howdy。'　I'm　running　over　to　Sausalito　tonight　on　the　ferry。　Leaving　pretty　soon；　so　I　can't　stay　long。〃
　　〃By　the　way〃…Darley's　face　became　serious…〃if　you　have　not　fully　closed　that　case　of　the　Wu…Fan；　I　advise　you　to　wait　a　short　while。　There　have　been　new　developments　that　may　affect　the　Wu…Fan。〃
　　〃You　have　discovered　something？〃　inquired　Cleve；　with　interest。
　　〃I　have　received　information；〃　returned　Darley。　〃It　came　from　Ling　Soo。　It　refers　to　the　activities　of　the　Tiger　Tong。　It　proves；　more　conclusively　than　ever；　that　the　tong…not　the　Wu…Fan…is　responsible　for　any　difficulties　that　may　occur。　In　fact；　I　may　say　that　this　new　information　pletely　exonerates　the　Wu…Fan　of　all　crimes　that　may　at　first　glance　seem　to　be　of　Chinese　origin。〃
　　〃What　is　the　nature　of　the　information？〃
　　〃I　have　it　here。〃
　　
　　
　　DARLEY　went　directly　to　the　drawer　where　Cleve　had　looked　two　nights　ago。
　　He　brought　out　the　very　paper　that　Cleve　had　seen。　He　spread　it　out　and　showed　the　Chinese　inscriptions。
　　〃This；〃　said　Darley；　〃refers　to　certain　activities　aboard　the　Pung…Shoon　…
　　a　Chinese　junk　which　came　through　the　Golden　Gate　a　few　days　ago。　The　Pung…Shoon　now　lies　at　anchor　in　San　Francisco　Bay。
　　〃This　paper；　from　the　translation　that　Ling　Soo　gave　me；　indicates　that　certain　members　of　the　Tiger　Tong；　now　sought　by　the　police；　intend　to　sail　on　the　Pung…Shoon　tomorrow。　They　are　going　back　to　China；　Ling　Soo　claims；　to　induce　certain　of　their　countrymen…members　of　the　tong…to　e　to　San　Francisco。〃
　　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　　〃As　new　recruits　for　the　Tiger　Tong's　warlike　campaign　against　the　Wu…Fan。
　　At　least；　that　is　Ling　Soo's　theory。〃
　　〃Have　you　investigated　it？〃
　　〃I　am　investigating　tonight。　I　expect　to　go　aboard　the　junk　in　behalf　of　the　Civilian　mittee。　There　I　shall　conduct　a　search。
　　〃If　I　see　any　signs　of　Tiger　Tong　men；　I　shall　report　it　to　the　authorities。　The　Pung…Shoon　will　not　receive　clearance　papers　from　this　port　until　I　give　it　my　approval。〃
　　〃A　very　good　idea。〃
　　〃I　should　be　glad　to　have　you　acpany　me；〃　said　Darley。　〃Not　as　a　government　agent…for　this　matter　is　no　more　than　a　civil　affair　as　yet…but　as　a　friend。〃
　　〃What　time　are　you　going　there？〃　asked　Cleve。
　　〃At　ten…o'clock；〃　answered　Darley。　〃I　have　a　dinner　engagement；　now；　after　that　I　shall　meet　other　members　of　the　Civilian　mittee。　We　cannot　get　started　until　after　ten。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　I　can　make　it；〃　said；　Cleve；　knowing　that　the　time　Darley　mentioned　was　identical　with　the　hour　of　the　Wu…Fan　meeting。　〃I　am　very　tired　tonight。　Came　in　from　Denver　on　the　Canyon　Special；　and　I　expect　to　turn　in　early。　But　I　would　like　to　talk　with　you　tomorrow…to　learn　what　you　may　have　found。〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　agreed　Darley。　〃Incidentally；　I　understand　that　Ling　Soo　is　calling　a　special　meeting　of　those　high　in　the　Wu…Fan。　He；　too；　may　have　more　information　tomorrow。　Call　at　my　office　about　noon。　Will　that　be　suitable？〃
　　〃Very；〃　declared　Cleve。
　　Darley's　mention　of　a　special　Wu…Fan　meeting　tonight　was　illuminating。
　　This　must　be　the　very　meeting　that　Cleve　was　to　attend。　With　the　existence　of　the　meeting　known　to　Darley；　Cleve　felt　fully　assured　that　all　would　be　well　when　he　joined　Ling　Soo　tonight。
　　〃If　you're　going　downtown；〃　suggested　Darley；　〃why　don't　you　e　along　with　me？　My　car　is　waiting　outside。〃
　　Cleve　accepted　the　invitation。　He　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　window　and　waited；　while　Darley　went　to　get　his　coat　and　hat。
　　This　window；　Cleve　reflected；　had　played　a　very　important　part　in　his　career。　It　was　from　this　very　spot　that　The　Shadow　had　fired　at　Foy。
　　All　was　a　hazy　recollection　to　Cleve。　He　remembered　Foy　and　the　knife；　rolling　away。　Probably　the　bullet　had　only　grazed　the　man。　That　seemed　the　logical　explanation　of　Foy's　quick　escape。
　　Cleve　had　seen　men　fall；　virtually　unhurt；　under　similar　circumstances。　He　had　often　seen　wounded　men　rise　and　run。　Foy　must　have　escaped　almost　unscathed；　for　the　crouching；　sneaky　Chinaman　was　back　at　Ling　Soo's　as　capable　as　ever。
　　Cleve's　eyes　looked　over　the　city。　There　he　saw　a　flashing　light　that　shone　above　a　dull　glow。　He　recognized　it　by　its　crawling　lines…the　sign　over　the　Mukden　Theater。　That　was　where　Cleve　would　be　tonight…in　the　lobby　of　that　very　theater。
　　Darley　was　back。　He　was　speaking　as　he　stood　beside　Cleve；　also　gazing　toward　the　lights　of　distant　Chinatown。
　　〃Eight　o'clock；〃　said　Darley。
　　Two　tiny　green　specks　appeared　in　the　luminous　circle　above　the　Mukden　Theater　sign。　Only　Darley　noticed　them；　for　Cleve　was　rising　from　his　chair。
　　Those　specks　were　shining　globes　of　light；　showing　from　the　distance　like　the　pupils　of　two　emerald　eyes。
　　〃I　should　be　downtown　now；〃　remarked　Darley。　〃Let　us　go。〃
　　The　two　men　chatted　as　they　rode　through　the　night。　Cleve　alighted　at　a　corner　near　his　hotel。　Beneath　the　glare　of　a　street　light；　he　stood　beside　the　door　and　waved　good…by　to　Darley。
　　Cleve's　face　was　in　full　view…plain　in　the　light。　Every　feature　was　visible　to　Darley。　There；　on　the　center　of　Cleve's　forehead；　Darley　noted　a　tiny　spot　of　red。　It　flared　in　vivid　crimson；　like　a　blot　of　blood。
　　The　limousine　drew　away。　Cleve　stood　alone。　Darley　had　not　mentioned　the　spot　that　he　had　seen；　so　Cleve　was　still　unconscious　of　it。
　　He　did　not　know　that　his　forehead　bore　the　same　mark　that　Stephen　Laird　had　carried　that　night　on　the　Mountain　Limited。
　　That　mark　was　the　mark　of　death！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XVI　
　　　MOY　CHEN　FAILS　
　　ACCUSTOMED；　as　Cleve　Branch　was；　to　the　atmosphere　of　Chinatown；　he　felt　uneasy　tonight　as　he　trod　his　way　along　the　narrow；　hilly　street。　This　district　seemed　more　sinister　than　ever。
　　Perhaps　the　chill　air　from　the　bay　was　responsible。　That　air　betokened　an　approaching　fog；　that　would　be　thick　when　morning　dawned。　Already　a　vague　mist　seemed　to　be　settling　through　Chinatown。
　　Each　alley　that　Cleve　passed　was　gloomy…a　place　for　hidden　eyes。　The　very　doors　between　the　lighted　shops　were　lurking　spots。
　　As　Cleve　walked　by　a　placid　Chinaman；　pipe…smoking　at　the　door　of　a　store；　he　fancied　that　he　saw　the　fellow　watching　him。
　　Why　this　thought　of　prying　eyes？　If　they　were　watching　Cleve　Branch；　they　would　gain　nothing；　for　soon　Cleve　Branch　would　be　a　lost　identity；　replaced　by　Hugo　Barnes。　Yet　all　Chinatown　seemed　alert　tonight；　Cleve　thought　as　he　walked　along。
　　The　explanation；　had　Cleve　known　it；　was　on　his　own　forehead。　There；　beneath　the　glow　of　every　light　he　passed；　gleamed　a　spot　that　told　a　story。
　　It　was　a　secret　of　the　Wu…Fan…known　to　the　most　trusted　Chinese　members　only。　The　mark　of　death…the　mark　that　meant　its　bearer　should　be　watched！
　　No　matter　what　guise　he　might　assume；　Cleve　would　not　be　able　to　avoid　those　stealthy　looks　from　almond　eyes；　unless　he　covered　up　the　telltale　spot。
　　Cleve　Branch　and　Hugo　Barnes　would　be　alike　tonight。　Both；　men　who　would　be　watched！
　　This　had　begun　the　night　before。　When　Cleve　had　touched　the　brass　dragon　and　placed　his　finger　on　his　forehead；　he　had　applied　the　secret　charm。
　　It　was　the　method　of　Ling　Soo；　the　crafty　leader　of　the　Wu…Fan。　So　did　he　mark　the　men　whose　lives　he　sought。
　　An　invisible　paste；　spread　upon　the　surface　of　the　metal　dragon；　had　reached　the　forehead　of　Hugo　Barnes。　Within　an　hour　after　its　application；　the　bloodlike　spot　had　e　there。　It　had　shown　on　Cleve　Branch；　too；　when　he　had　appeared　as　himself　instead　of　Hugo　Barnes！
　　Since　then；　members　of　the　Wu…Fan　had　been　watching。　Clever；　shrewd　and　stealthy；　they　had　not　missed　a　single　move　which　Cleve　Branch　had　made！
　　The　sight　of　that　mark　meant　that　quick　reports　must　be　given　of　every　place　the　marked　man　went。　All　with　whom　he　municated；　likewise；　must　be　named。
　　Reports　were　even　now　on　the　way　to　Ling　Soo；　that　the　leader　might　issue　orders　to　his　secret　followers。　The　eyes　of　Ling　Soo　were　everywhere！
　　It　was　strange；　Cleve　thought；　as　he　strode　along；　that　with　all　these　impressions　of　concealed　observers；　he　saw　no　traces　of　The　Shadow。　He　had　fancied；　last　night；　that　the　mysterious　man　had　been　in　Ling　Soo's　anteroom。
　　But　he　had　been　mistaken。　Only　Ling　Soo　and　Foy　had　been　there。
　　
　　
　　CLEVE　was　approaching　the　Hoang…Ho　Cafe。　He　reached　the　side　entrance。
　　There　he　paused。　Despite　the　creepy　feeling　of　watchers　from　the　darkness；　he　hurried　up　the　stairs　and　gained　the　door　to　Moy　Chen's　hidden　room。
　　Cleve　knew　the　secret　of　that　door；　n